Tape-moistener.



F. E. FRANCIS.

TAPE MOISTENER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 15, 1908.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

INVENTOH F'ZoycZEfiazzcz';

ATTORNEYS 1YESSES 4% ornr'orin FLOYD E. FRANCIS, OF NEW YORK, N.

TAPE-MOESTENER.

Specification of Letters Intent.

Patented Ian. 26, 1909.

Ap pfluutian filed July 16,. 1903. Serial No. 143,649.

To all whom it may con corn:

Be it known that I, Fnorn E. FRANCIS, a. citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of New York, boron h of Man hottun, intho'oounty and State 0 New York, have invented a new and Improved Tnpo-Mnlstonor, of which the following is a lull, elcur, und exactdescription.

This im'ontion relates to cert-sin improvements in mph moisteners, andmore poi-tic ulcrly to that type of construction in which there areprovided means for supporting n. roll of tape, a moistening surface overwhich the tape may pass as it is removed from the roll, and a cutting ortearing edge by moons of which the moistened portion of the topo may beseparated from that remaining on the roll.

The object of my invention is primarily to simplify the construction andso mount the ports thutthe tape may be um-olled, moistoned and torn oilas rapidly as it can be used and without waste.

Reference is to he had to the accompany ing drawings, forming a. part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorros onding parts in all the figures, and in whic1 Figuro 2 is a topplan view of the moistenor constructed in accordance with my invention;Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof- Fig 3 is a vertical section on theline 33 0 Fig 2; and 4 is a side elevation of the cutting or tearingmember.

In the specific form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 1 providea. base 10, of any suitable construction and serving to support theseveral parts going to make up my improved device At one end of base Iprovide a, standard 11, presenting a horizontal to? surface and having'n-n u wardl Humming centrelly-discrosod spim e 12. he spindle is ad. toto extend through the center of 1: r0 of tape l3, the weight of thelatter being supported directly upon the standard 1]. top plate 14inalso mounted upon the spindle and rests directly upon the roll. Thecover frictionall engages with the roll at the up per sido and thestandard frictionnlly ongenes with it at the under side, so ihot the rocannot freely rotate but may turn when the opor ac:- pulls on tho and.of the tops. orsizw the friction of the to pinto 15 may, if dosh-ad, herest upon or no rigidly secured A suitable cover or reservoir.

to the cover plate at its 1! per surface and adjacent the centerthereof? 2 Adjacent the opposite and of the base 10 is provided themoistoner proper, which inch. dos n. suituhlo roscrvoi r 16 for themoisten ing liquid, end :1. vertically-disposed mois toning; member I?having its lower end mounted within the reservoir and having its upperand adopted l or engagement with the tape. The reservoir is verticallyremovable from the base and is held against lateral movement by smallcleats or flanges 38. The reservoir 18 provided with a cover 19, havingon open turo therein through which the moistoning member 17 extends. Theaperture is of slightly larger size than the mozstaning memher, so thatsaid cover does not contact therewith. The moisteniug member prefer---sblv comprises a tube 20, having an outer jnclcet 21 of felt or othersuitable absorbent material, and extending from adjacent the lowerportion of the reservoir to the up or portion of the moist-suing member.he moistening member is mounted in any suitable manner, but, as shown,the reservoir is provided with a central stud 22, extending upwardlyfrom the bottom thereof and into the lower end of the tuba 20.

Inter edicts the spindle 12 upon which the roll of tape is mounted andthe moistening member, the'base supports two aides .23, preferably inthe form of upwnr iy-oxtending pins or rods arranged substantiallyparallel and spaced opnrt n'distanco substan tiolly oqunl to thethickness of the mp6. U pen the opposite side of the reservoir from theguides 23, I provide e cutting or tecrinf member 24, comprising anupwardly-extol) ing rod or our having its lower end mounted in the baseand herring inserted in one side thereof a, blade 2-5 over which thetape may be drown to out, tour or sever the latter.

In the operation of my improved device a roll of gumnied tape is mountedon thospindle 12 and the end is extended through between the two guides23. The and of the tape 18 drown outwardly and lie t in contact with themoistening member, w .ich latte receives its moisture by capillnrattraction from the As fast as t e tape is drawn past the moistenimmember, it takes up moisture therefrom an becomes ready for use. When astrip of tape of the desired length has been unwound and moistened, it1s turned at a slight angle and torn across the blade 25, to out or tearthe tape. The blade is closely sol adjacent the moistening member, sothat the tape has to be turned to but a short angle and only a ver smallquantity of the tape is moistened wit rout being used. The moisteningaction is identically the same, irrespeetive ol' the amount of tape onthe roll, as it passes between the two stationary guides 23. Themoistening member may be readily removed from the reservoir, and thereservoir may, be rmidil removed from the base to permit of the twobeing rleaned.

Having thus deserihed my ii'ivention, l elaim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. A tape moistener, comprising a base, a standard mounted thereon andadapted to support a roll of tape in a substantially hori zontal plane,a reservoir ol' substantially the same hei ht as said standard, and amoisten ing menilier extending upwardly from said reservoir and overwhich the tape from said roll may pass.

2. A tape moistener, comprising a base, a standard mounted thereon andadapted to receive a roll of tape and having a centrallydisposedupwardly-extending spindle, a cover plate adapted to engage with theupper surface of the tape roll, and a weight upon said cover forpreventing free rotation of the roll. :3. A tape moistener, comprising abase, means for supporting a roll of tape in a substantially horizontalplane, a reservoir detaehabl' mounted upon said base, a cover for saidreservoir and having anwiperture therein, and a detachable moisteninginernber having its lower end within said reservoir and extendingupwardly through/said aperture.

1. A tape n'ioistener, comprising a l)as e,'a standard mounted thereonand having an upwardlyextending spindle ada ted to receive a roll oftape in a substantially horizontal ilane, a eighted cover plate mountedon saii spindle ind adapted to engage with the upper surl'are of saidroll, a reservoir de- A taehably mounted upon said base and ofsubstantially the same height as said standard and having a roverprovided with an a ltlJl'G therein, a moistening member detae ablyserurud to said reservoir and extending upwardly over said aperture, twosubstan tially parallel guides carried by said base intermediate saidstandard and said reservoir, and an upwarilly-extending severing memberhaving a blade adjacent said moistening' member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FLOYD E. FRANCIS.

\Vitnesses:

Joim GiLMAu'rIN, CLAIR W. FAIRBANKS

